Listeriosis: what are the symptoms of listeria infection?

Listeriosis: what are the symptoms of listeria infection?
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Listeriosis: what are the symptoms of listeria infection?

Listeria monocytogenes is an intestinal bacterium that can cause a food infection (listeriosis). The bacteria can live in unhygienically prepared food, for example poorly washed raw vegetables, or in cheeses made from unpasteurized milk. Pregnant women and weakened people in particular should be careful of infection.

Also read: The different types of food infection during pregnancy

Listeria infection symptoms

The time between infection and the first symptoms is 1 to 91 days. In people with normal resistance, the symptoms of listeriosis resemble those of flu:

Fever
Lethargy
Decreased appetite
Nausea
Headache
Back pain
Sometimes diarrhea
Lower abdominal pain

Also read: What is salmonella and how do you prevent contamination?

Is listeriosis dangerous?

Healthy people almost always recover without further consequences. In people with severely reduced resistance, listeria can cause serious diseases such as blood poisoning, inflammation of the inner lining of the heart, gastrointestinal infections and infections of the skin and eyes. In pregnant women, infection poses certain risks to the (unborn) baby, such as blood poisoning, meningitis, miscarriage or premature birth.

Also read: Sepsis (blood poisoning) and septic shock

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Listeriosis treatment

No treatment is necessary for patients without complaints. Pregnant women and patients who are seriously ill are admitted to the hospital. The doctor will give antibiotics through an IV. How long the antibiotic treatment lasts depends on the stage of the disease. During pregnancy, prompt treatment of listeriosis is crucial to prevent the infection from affecting the baby.

How can you prevent infection?

In general, there are certain guidelines you can follow to avoid a listeria contamination:

• Store food in the refrigerator at 4°C.

• Respect the expiration date of the products.

• Let leftovers cool quickly in the refrigerator. Moreover, do not store them for too long and always warm them up thoroughly.

• Cook raw animal food thoroughly, whether it is beef, pork, chicken, mutton or something else.

• Wash raw vegetables very well. Also clean the utensils that come into contact with it.

• Prepare vegetables and meat separately and use different kitchen equipment.

• Be careful with smoked fish, such as salmon and mackerel. The closer to the expiration date, the greater the chance of contamination. You can eat freshly fried, grilled, poached or boiled fish without any problem.

• Avoid raw milk and raw milk products such as some soft cheeses (e.g. mozzarella, brie, camembert). Prefer hard cheeses or processed cheeses.

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• Always wash your hands before every meal and after every contact with vegetables, fruit and raw meat.

Also read: Should you rinse chicken with water before cooking?

Sources:

Last updated: December 2024